Members are invited to offer their thoughts on a portion of scripture or offer a meditation on some aspect of God and God's work in the world. Short sermons are also invited. Remember, this is a worship center; please keep your thoughts worshipful, and start a new thread for each new item.<P>Only Native Residents may post here.

I want to share an intention of prayer that I often carry in my heart.I see our world threatened by new forms of totalitarianism. That means unnatural, untrue and immoral things are imposed on us, on society and individuals:

On one hand the sexual revolution that visibly began in the late 60s. It’s about “free and safe sex” without marriage made possible by contraception, about pornography, LGBT and BDSM, abortion, public education, very easy divorce. A change of language intends to veil evil behind nice words, calls sweet and good what is bitter and bad. Christian resistance against all this is more and more sanctioned as a crime of intolerance and hatred. If you speak and act in the name of Biblical truth you may end up in jail. I don’t condemn anybody, I condemn that some of this is imposed on us by the UN, EU and governments as human rights, reproductive health or progress of mankind.

On the other hand there’s Islam according to the sources of their holy book, the founder and tradition. Islam is from the beginning a violent movement that destroyed ancient Christian culture in North Africa, Asia Minor and the Middle East. It’s a totalitarian control over conscience of individuals, families, society and politics that wants to impose itself by threatening propaganda, high population growth, terrorism and war. I know there are many kind and religious Muslim, people of good will, with whom a real dialogue and peaceful coexistence is possible. I don’t talk about them but about Islam as we find it in the book and in (our present) history.

Moreover there is open esoteric, occultism and Satanism spreading in our cities. We know from the Bible that Satan is the inspiration behind of all kinds of evil and confusion (Luke 10,17-20; Eph 6,12-19…). The request “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Mat 6,13)seems to be particularly urgent. It may be also rendered as “Deliver us from the evil one”. Another version would be the following prayer: “O my Jesus, forgive us our sins; save us from the fires of hell; lead all souls into heaven, especially those who are most in need of your mercy.”

Johannes

"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit..." (John 15,5)

Probably all Americans do that, but I want' to express my deep compassion and prayer for the families struck by the recent massacre of 20 children and their teachers in Newtown, Connecticut. That's really incredibly evil! German news quickly gave all information and photos so that we can mourn with you.I'm also touched by the consoling words and gestures your president finds in such cases. Each time he reveals himself as a really compassionate father. Does anyone understand why he endorses late abortion as a human right of women??? It's a complete contradiction to me. Essentially abortion is exactly the same thing: killing of innocent children and hope in the future."A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more." (Mat 2,18)"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." (Mat 5,4) Johannes

"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit..." (John 15,5)

Johannes_1965 wrote:...Does anyone understand why he endorses late abortion as a human right of women??? It's a complete contradiction to me. Essentially abortion is exactly the same thing: killing of innocent children and hope in the future.

I agree with that last. I'd guess that President Obama either subscribes to the seldom-stated rationalization that "a fetus in the womb is not really human," or "...not yet human," or that he's a victim of "doublethink," the concept developed by George Orwell in his novel 1984; essentially the ability to hold two mutually contradictory concepts in one's mind without apparent cognitive dissonance. He is not an evil man for doing this, as you so eloquently state; he is merely deceived by today's "conventional wisdom."